It is sad. I knew lots of people who pushed their kids into school before they were ready just for that reason.
The other sad thing, was when we swam with the Y using the local elementary school pool, we’d be there about 6 PM and there were still kids waiting to be picked up by mom or dad (elementary age).
According to statistics I’ve read, the second job (full time career type) eats up so much income that the family’s income is really only 25% higher than if only one parent worked. I can save that much in lots of ways with the extra time not spent working. Part time night not be the same, but the kind of jobs you get part time are not really glamorous.
I am vaguely amused by my coworkers, or my husband’s, who are all engineers whose wifes almost invariably are elementary school teachers. The husbands are making plenty for the wife to be home if she wanted, with their kids, but she’d rather take care of other peoples’ children because it’s more fulfilling.
Of course, some of the guys have homeschooling wives. Engineers in general seem to be overrepresented in the homeschooling world. There are two or three at my 40 person company, including my immediate boss.